Tips for selling your car

Want to sell your car but don’t know where to begin? Check out the tips for selling your car – starting from an online sales ad up to the transfer notification after the sale.

Start by making an interesting sales ad.

Write a sales ad that will attract potential buyers. Take time to do it properly. Take good photos and make sure that the car’s details are presented comprehensively and clearly. If you are selling online, use the most popular sites, such as Nettiauto and Autotalli.

Online car sale – our tips for a sales ad

• A clean car sells better. Make sure your car is spotless before you take the photos. A car will not be very attractive without a proper wash and clean-up.

• Impersonal is fine. Selling a car can be compared to selling your home in the sense that in both cases the buyer will want to visualise their own style concerning the sales item. So lose the fluffy dice and similar items, and let the buyers make up their own minds.

• Clear and understandable sales ad. Spend some time on the sales ad to make it really good. Photos of the car, seller’s contact details and details of the car should be listed carefully and accurately. Any information that is unclear will make potential buyers wary.

• Take plenty of photos. Your chances of selling your car are low if you just provide a single general picture of it. Take photos of both the exterior and interior – such as doors, seats and the engine.

• Honesty creates a sense of security. Remember to include any “unique features” as well. Listing and taking photos of any defects ensures that there are no nasty surprises.

• Get the price right from the start. Evaluate the price carefully. If the sales price is too high or too low, this may cause suspicion among buyers. Take into account the car’s age, mileage and general condition. It’s worth checking online for the asking prices of similar makes and models.

• An active seller is a good seller. Being active will be rewarded. Share the sales ad in social media, for example, and answer any queries as soon as possible.

Too much trouble? Consider contacting a car dealership

However, making a car sales ad, figuring out the right price and talking to potential buyers may seem like too much work to you. If so, you may want to take your car to a dealership and ask for an offer and get the job done without any hassle. With their experience, the dealership can take care of selling your car and everything that goes with it. Find a dealership near you and make an appointment.

Prepare for change of ownership with an electronic certificate

Whoever buys your car must register as the new owner within 7 days. Change of ownership is done with a registration notification, for which the buyer needs either an electronic certificate or Part II (or the Notification part) of the car’s registration certificate. The best way to prepare for a change of ownership is to get an electronic certificate. If you do not want to do things online or you are selling the car abroad or to the Åland Islands, you will need Part II of the registration certificate.

Once you have created an electronic certificate, it will be valid for 14 days. You can create the certificate already before any sale has been concluded. Follow the link below to create an electronic certificate in the Trafi.fi service.

Make a deed of transfer or deed of sale

The car sale is about to be concluded and the electronic certificate is available. You should always make a deed of transfer or deed of sale both for the buyer and the seller. Verify the new owner’s identity before concluding the deed of sale.

The deed of sale contains the details of the seller, buyer and vehicle. The deed of sale also contains the agreed sales price, payment schedule and details of the transfer of ownership. Both the buyer and seller will sign the deed of sale.

Complete the car sale with a transfer notification

Once the sale has been concluded, we recommend that you submit a transfer notification to the register. This will ensure that the insurance premiums will end on the correct date. In order to make a transfer notification, you will need the buyer’s details, which you can find in the deed of transfer or deed of sale. You can make a transfer notification in Trafi’s online service.

How about the car’s insurance cover?

The insurance cover of the car you sold will not be transferred to the new owner. The car’s insurance coverage will end immediately when the new owner buys motor liability insurance for the car under their own name. Once ownership has changed, the new owner has seven days to buy insurance for the car. After this seven-day period, the car may not be used in traffic without the statutory motor liability insurance.

Once you have sold your car and you may be looking for a new one, remember to insure your new car. We will calculate your bonus automatically on the basis of your claims and insurance history, and if you are an excellent driver, you may be entitled to bonus cover against bonus losses.